Joint Communique AEB - ISRO on the visit of Dr K Kasturirangan to Brazil

At the invitation of Dr Luiz Gylvan Meira Filho, President of the Brazilian Space Agency, an Indian Delegation, headed by Dr K Kasturirangan, Secretary, Department of Space, India and Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation -- ISRO, visited Brazil from March 13 to 15, 2000. Dr K Kasturirangan was accompanied by high level officials as follows: Dr P S Goel, Director of ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC), Mr K Narayana, Director, SHAR Centre, Sriharikota, Dr S Rangarajan, Programme Director of SATCOM, ISRO, Mr K R Sridhara Murthy Scientific Secretary, ISRO Headquarters and Dr Rajeev Lochan, Counsellor (Space) of the Embassy of India in Washington. The Ambassador of India in Brazil Mr M P M Menon also joined the Indian Delegation.

During their stay in Brazilia, Dr K Kasturirangan and Delegation were received by Ambassador Ronaldo Mota Sardanberg, Minister of Science and Technology, held a bilateral working meeting with the officials of the Brazilian Space Agency and made a presentation of the Indian Space Programme to members of the Superior Council of the AEB.

In Sao Jose dos Campos, the Indian Delegation visited the facilities of the National Institute for Space Research -- INPE and the Technical Aerospace Centre -- CTA, and were hosted by Dr Marcio Noguaira Barbosa, at INPE, and by Ten. Cel. Hiroshi, representing the Director of CTA, Major-Brig-do-Ar Aluisio Weber.

In the exchange of views between the Chairman of ISRO and those Brazilian authorities, both sides expressed their willingness to further expand the existing cooperation in the space area between the two countries.

The Chairman of ISRO and the President of AEB after having exchanged information on the space programmes of each country, reviewed the bilateral cooperation in this field and reiterated their firm intention to implement new common actions of mutual interest.

Both sides recognised the need to proceed to further joint assessment of the possibilities of cooperation. There was a consensus on the identification of the following areas, on a preliminary basis: Satellites and their applications; Mutual use of space science facilities; Training in remote sensing applications; Sharing of experience in developmental communications.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Dr K Kasturirangan made a formal invitation to the President of the Brazilian Space Agency, Dr Luiz Gylvan Metra Filho, to visit his country in a near future in order to hold additional consultations on the setting up of the appropriate mechanisms for the implementation of the agreed cooperation.

The communique is signed in Brazilia on March 15, 2000.